Bundesliga basics: VfL Wolfsburg

Fun facts

When the Wolves shocked German football and won the Bundesliga in 2008/09, they became the first new name to appear on the trophy in 39 years.

That season, Wolfsburg became the first club in Bundesliga history to have two strikers scoring over 20 goals (Grafite, 28, Edin Dzeko, 26).

Wolfsburg made it to the quarter-finals of last season's UEFA Champions League, beating Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid CF 2-0 before losing the return fixture 3-0.

Edin Dzeko (l.) and Grafite fired Wolfsburg to an historic Bundesliga title in 2008/09.

History

DFB Cup winners and Bundesliga runners-up in 2014/15, last season was one of transition for the Wolves, at least domestically. Having lost Kevin De Bruyne and Ivan Perisic to Manchester City FC and FC Internazionale Milano respectively, coach Dieter Hecking struggled to replace their attacking output until the Rückrunde revival of Andre Schürrle.

Andre Schürrle finished the 15/16 season strongly.

A lack of strength in depth was the Lower Saxony club's undoing in 2015/16, though an impressive run to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League - which included victories over Manchester United FC and PSV Eindhoven in addition to Real Madrid - showed that the Wolves can cut it with the biggest clubs on the continent.

Honours

Bundesliga champions: 2008/09

DFB Cup winners: 2014/15

Stadium: Volkswagen Arena

Capacity: 30,000

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